Rating: T
Genre: Friendship, very very small romance, humour
Characters: Kirihara Akaya, Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirou, Yanagi Renji, Marui Bunta, Niou Masaharu, Jackal Kuwahara, Yagyuu Hiroshi, Tachibana An
Warning(s): M/F, KiriAn (if it's not your liking), implied sexual situations, crude language

Summary: In which Kirihara tries to reveal the identity of his girlfriend to his teammates.

Girlfriend

"Senpai-tachi, I'm dating-"

The rest of Kirihara's words were swallowed by the crying of the tennis ball machine.

"You're doing what, Akaya?"

"I'm not doing, I'm dating-"

A rumble and the clattering of metal parts on the tennis court.

"Sanada, Renji, fix that thing. Akaya, I'm sorry, you were saying?"

"I said, I'm dating-"

"I told you to fix it not break it further!" Yukimura barks at the two. With an apologetic glance, the Rikkai captain left Kirihara with his jaw hanging open.

"Hey, brat, you were saying?" Niou asks, propping an elbow on Kirihara's shoulder. "I heard you say you're dating?"

"Yeah, I'm-" The tennis ball machine completely fell into pieces, and Yagyuu and Jackal ran off to help the Three Demons gather the parts that were rolling all over the courts, wreaking havoc. Niou cocks his head and stares at Kirihara. The younger boy sighs and shakes his head. "Never mind."

The first time Kirihara Akaya tries to tell his teammates about his girlfriend, the tennis ball machine breaks down, louder than an elephant doing the salsa.

.~.

"Who're you texting, brat? Girlfriend?" Niou teases, while Marui ruffles up Kirihara's already messy hair. Kirihara blushes deep red and stuffs his mobile into his pocket.

"That's right," Jackal muses, "Akaya, weren't you saying something about you dating someone sometime back?"

"Yeah! Then the tennis ball machine broke down!" Marui laughs boisterously.

"Come on now, let the boy speak for himself," Yukimura tuts. Kirihara smiles at his captain, a word of thanks already on his tongue when Yukimura continues, "Name, age, school, when, and where, Akaya?"

"Buchou!"

Niou sniggers behind a palm. "You heard the captain. Fess up."

Kirihara looks at his teammates, all having stopped at the side of the road in anticipation of Kirihara's exciting news. "I-"

"Holy fuck!"

"Is that-? Fuck, is she...?"

"-don't think so. Her hand's moving-"

"-anyone calling the ambulance? Should we? I mean, no one seems to be-"

"Yeah, Jackal, quick-"

"I can't believe we just—"

"Where's Yukimura?"

"Seiichi's over there at the bushes."

"...is he? Yeah...he is. God, is he going to be alright?"

"He will, he just can't stand the sight of blood-"

"Where's the ambulance?"

The second time Kirihara tries to tell his teammates about his girlfriend, someone got hit by a car.

.~.

I saw you. We're over.

Kirihara stares blankly at his mobile. Jackal calls out to him and he only manages to small mutter in response.

"You wanted to speak to us?" Marui prompts.

Kirihara numbly shakes his head. "No, nothing."

The third time Kirihara attempts to tell his teammates about his girlfriend, she broke up with him over a text message, accusing Kirihara for something he absolutely did not know.

.~.

"You haven't told them?" she asks and Kirihara shakes his head.

"There haven't been any opportunities to," he says, recalling all the misfortunes that seemed to plague him.

"Fine," she grumbles, slightly irritated, and stuffs a lunch box into his arms. "Just do it soon. My brother and his teammates already know."

"Thanks."

"I won't keep waiting."

Kirihara nods solemnly and stares at her back as she returns to her brother's side. Footsteps approach him from behind and he hears Yagyuu greet him. "Yagyuu-senpai," he returns.

Yanagi takes a look at the crowd and remarks, "Tachibana Kippei and his sister."

Kirihara sneaks a peek and nonchalantly shrugs. "Mm, yeah."

"Tachibana's sister didn't chew you out for injuring her brother a few years back, did she?" Marui teases, slinging an arm around Kirihara's shoulders. It was uncomfortable, for Kirihara was taller than the red head. Marui notices the lunch box in the younger boy's arms and asks, "Did you have that before?"

"What? No, I got it from-"

"Ah! Your mystery girlfriend."

"It's not really a mystery or anything," Kirihara mumbles under his breath. Looking at the Tachibana siblings, he locks gazes with the younger and says, "An gave it to me."

There, they should know now.

His teammates contemplates his reply, staring at the lunch box with much concentration.

"You don't think she'd poison you, do you?" Niou says, jokingly. Kirihara frowns while the rest laugh at the Trickster's words.

"I-" Kirihara starts to explain, but his words are drowned out by his teammate's chatter. Seconds later, the initial topic is forgotten and the team heads back to the court where their own match would be held.

The fourth time Kirihara Akaya tries to tell his teammates about his girlfriend, they thought she was trying to kill him.

.~.

"Fucking hell, brat! Not even Yukimura's had sex in the club room. What makes you think you're so special?" Niou remarks, his hand on the doorknob as the whole team hovers outside, catching an eyeful of naughty business.

The day the regulars find out about his relationship with Tachibana An, Kirihara Akaya was caught with his hand up her shirt, cropping a feel, and his lips on her neck.

"I-" Kirihara snatches his hand out from under her shirt and blushes deep red, while An smooths her clothing and pats her hair.

"So it's An-chan! Why didn't you tell us earlier, Akaya?" Marui pipes out from behind Niou, waving his hand in greeting.

Exchanging sheepish looks with his girlfriend, Kirihara says, "I tried."

A/N: There's some reference to my headcanon where Yukimura's weakness is blood-can be found on my tumblr, link's in my profile. The next one is short and it'll be up tomorrow when I wake up.